Autobuses and lorries are important and often very necessary transport vehicles, but they are the most dangerous for other road users. Countermeasures are needed to diminish this danger and also to increase the user's profit. Buses and lorries have relatively poor driving and braking properties, they are difficult to handle and have very little view to the rear or to the side. There are often problems with loading, parking, delivery and handling, in particular in urban areas. The development of passive safety, as has been developed in cars, has not been done for lorries and buses. The decrease of the severity of the consequences of accidents is rather low. The damage caused by heavy vehicles on the road, mainly rutting, causes problems for other road users. The heavy work load in particular for international transport and in urban areas can cause stress and fatigue for the drivers which can lead to a reduction in the standard of driving.
Abstract